The invention relates to a device for packing items in a box, which device is provided with a conveyor for supplying items in a conveyance direction, a pushing device comprising a pressure plate, which pressure plate is movable in a horizontal pushing direction extending transversely to the conveyance direction, for moving at least one item onto a flap that is movable from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, a box being positionable below the flap, which device is additionally provided with two guide plates situated on either side of the flap, which guide plates extend transversely to the pressure plate.
The invention also relates to a method for packing items in a box by means of such a device.
Items are, for example, bags, small boxes, bottles, jars, packets etc.
In such a device and method disclosed by American patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,801, items such as bags are conveyed in a virtually lying position by means of a conveyor until the bags are pressed against a stop plate positioned at an angle and are set substantially upright. A number of bags are then positioned simultaneously by means of a pressure plate on a flap in a pushing direction extending transversely to the conveyance direction. Guide plates are disposed on either side of the flap, a guide plate being situated at the same angle as the stop plate. After that, the guide plate positioned at an angle is tilted to a vertically extending position. The flap is then opened, and the bags standing on the flap fall into a box standing ready below the flap.
A disadvantage of a guide plate positioned at an angle is that the bags standing on the flap shift relatively easily in relation to each other, for example if a following row of bags is pressed against a row of bags already standing on the flap. There is then a risk that the rows will be disturbed and will not be positioned in the correct configuration on the flap. This upsets the placing of the bags in the box.